1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to aircraft and, more specifically, to an apparatus that is placed onto and around the winglet of an aircraft to allow the winglets to be better perceived visually from all angles.
2. Description of the Related Art
On certain aircraft, the winglets can be difficult to see from the cockpit or the ground, particularly when they are in a hangar. To avoid property damage and/or injury to persons, there is a need for a system that will allow winglets to be easily visible from any vantage point. Such a system would also allow storage capacity within the hanger to be maximized without damaging aircraft. The present invention enables the location and dimensions of a winglet to be discerned from the cockpit or the ground, whether the aircraft is stationary or being moved.
There are a number of issued patents for inventions whose purpose is to mark, protect or cover an aircraft wing or other part of an aircraft. Examples of such inventions include: U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,164 (Dillon, 1950), which discloses a cover for aircraft engines; U.S. Pat. No. 3,044,516 (Stoll, 1962), which provides a protective cover for aircraft wings and empennage control surfaces; U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,883 (Suter, 1986), which describes an apparatus for protecting the exterior of an aircraft, the apparatus comprising a plurality of elastomeric foam members; U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,516 (Willison, 1986), which discloses a protective device for covering an airplane wing comprising a laminate having a water-impervious dense outer layer and a less dense inner layer, the laminate providing impact resistance to prevent damage to the airplane wing; U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,587 (Rodyniuk et al., 1994) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,055 (Rodyniuk et al., 1994), which provide an aircraft wing cover comprised of a lightweight, ultraviolet stabilized material that is resistant to propagation of tears and does not absorb water; U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,501 (Crandley, 1997), which describes an aircraft wing protective cover system comprising a cover sheet configured to overlie the upper surface of an aircraft wing, a pocket formed at an outer end of the cover sheet for receiving a tip of the wing, and perimeter strips attached to and extending along the perimeter of the cover sheet; U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,873 (Millard, 1998), which discloses a cover for large aircraft critical surfaces, the cover comprising a flexible material that covers the top surface of an aircraft wing and first and second sets of attachment straps; U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,872 (McCausland, 2000), which provides a helicopter rotor cover system comprised of a main rotor cover and a tail rotor cover, a tubular member connected the enclosed spaces of the two covers, and a hot air blower to blow hot air into the two covers; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,835,045 (Barbee et al., 2004), which describes a cover for helicopter rotor blades, the cover being in the shape of a flexible, elongate tube, and the inner surface of the cover being coated with aluminum, titanium or other metals or alloys to prevent the rotor blades from absorbing the sun's infrared rays. Only U.S. Pat. No. 7,401,570 (Moore, 2008) attempts to solve a problem similar to that solved by the present invention. Moore's marker is designed to make an aircraft wing tip more visible, but his invention is structurally dissimilar to the present invention.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,340 (Duea, 1986) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,687 (Gorman, 1991) both involve removable spoilers for reducing the wing lift of a parked aircraft. U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,151 (Ross, 2004) discusses a portable aircraft hangar assembly for aircraft with a series of rotor blades. The assembly includes rotor sleeves that are slid over the ends of each rotor blade and connected to a canopy that is positioned over the series of rotor blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,033,791 (Watanabe, 2011) discloses a protective bag for protecting the end portions of the blades on a wind turbine. U.S. Pat. No. 8,057,176 (Wobben, 2011) provides a marker (in the form of a sheath) that is installed over the blade of a wind turbine to identify it as an aviation obstruction.